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The Long Dark Trilogy #1
Descent
A group of oil workers find themselves mysteriously without power and stranded on a man-made island several miles off the coast of Barrow, AK. With no way to communicate with the outside world due to the power outage and mass-electronic failure, the difficult decision is made to leave and go for help.
After a harrowing trip over the ice road, they make it to Barrow, AK, only to find it in the same predicament as the one they left. If there was a difference, it was that there were people where they came from. Barrow, though, seemed completely devoid of life. That was until a member of the group is viciously attacked and left to die in the middle of the street.
With nowhere else to go, they break into a house and begin to give aid to their injured friend. During their search for items to save him, they find a woman sitting alone at the kitchen table. Her skin is a sickly gray and covered in a smelly mucus. At first, it’s believed she was dead, but the fluttering of an eyelid and a trail of tears let them know otherwise.
Not knowing how to help her, and because of her insufferable crying, they decide to cordon themselves off from her. Several hours later, a group of people shows up outside. They seem to have the same malady as the woman from the kitchen. They, however, have no difficulty in movement. They attack the house in short order. Coinciding with their attack, the man who was attacked earlier awakens and it’s clear he isn’t well.
They escape and make their way to the corporate headquarters of the company they work for. Along the way, they save a woman and child trapped in a house by a group of what they begin calling Grays. Once at the headquarters, the woman, who has everything to lose, tells an unbelievable story that could, if true, change everything.
After a harrowing trip over the ice road, they make it to Barrow, AK, only to find it in the same predicament as the one they left. If there was a difference, it was that there were people where they came from. Barrow, though, seemed completely devoid of life. That was until a member of the group is viciously attacked and left to die in the middle of the street.
With nowhere else to go, they break into a house and begin to give aid to their injured friend. During their search for items to save him, they find a woman sitting alone at the kitchen table. Her skin is a sickly gray and covered in a smelly mucus. At first, it’s believed she was dead, but the fluttering of an eyelid and a trail of tears let them know otherwise.
Not knowing how to help her, and because of her insufferable crying, they decide to cordon themselves off from her. Several hours later, a group of people shows up outside. They seem to have the same malady as the woman from the kitchen. They, however, have no difficulty in movement. They attack the house in short order. Coinciding with their attack, the man who was attacked earlier awakens and it’s clear he isn’t well.
They escape and make their way to the corporate headquarters of the company they work for. Along the way, they save a woman and child trapped in a house by a group of what they begin calling Grays. Once at the headquarters, the woman, who has everything to lose, tells an unbelievable story that could, if true, change everything.
- GenresHorror
151 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 19, 2020
141 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 25, 2020
On page one, the protagonist describes women as "dick goblins" and refers to their "stinky titties"...so yeah, I yeeted this book directly into the sun without reading further.
Look, if one is going to set their male protagonist up as a misogynist so that his eventual reform from flaming garbage heap into a thinking, feeling human being is more dramatic (no doubt due entirely to the liberal application of manic pixie dream vagina, though I'll never know because I DNF-ed at paragraph four) then at least do so with some subtlety. Maybe reserve the coke-snorting prostitute "dick goblins" rubbing their "stinky titties" in his face for page four after he's done something to make me like him like help an old lady across the street, or petted a dog, or something.
Also, page one has a copy error - a missing word that removes all sense and meaning from a sentence. This book lists a professional editor in its credits. Page one, AT THE VERY LEAST, should be flawless.
But, I offer my congratulations to the author for this hat trick!!! He managed to tick off 3 items on the "List of Reasons Lacy will DNF a Book" - misogyny, copy errors, and a thoroughly unlikeable protagonist - in a mere 4 paragraphs. That is an all-time record!
Look, if one is going to set their male protagonist up as a misogynist so that his eventual reform from flaming garbage heap into a thinking, feeling human being is more dramatic (no doubt due entirely to the liberal application of manic pixie dream vagina, though I'll never know because I DNF-ed at paragraph four) then at least do so with some subtlety. Maybe reserve the coke-snorting prostitute "dick goblins" rubbing their "stinky titties" in his face for page four after he's done something to make me like him like help an old lady across the street, or petted a dog, or something.
Also, page one has a copy error - a missing word that removes all sense and meaning from a sentence. This book lists a professional editor in its credits. Page one, AT THE VERY LEAST, should be flawless.
But, I offer my congratulations to the author for this hat trick!!! He managed to tick off 3 items on the "List of Reasons Lacy will DNF a Book" - misogyny, copy errors, and a thoroughly unlikeable protagonist - in a mere 4 paragraphs. That is an all-time record!
May 9, 2021
Good Read
Bit of a slow start but worth sticking with it . The characters at the beginning have no idea what is going on in the out side world as they are isolated . As they are finding out what is going on so does the reader. It is a tense nail biting ride that follows . I am looking forward to the next book.
Bit of a slow start but worth sticking with it . The characters at the beginning have no idea what is going on in the out side world as they are isolated . As they are finding out what is going on so does the reader. It is a tense nail biting ride that follows . I am looking forward to the next book.
October 11, 2020
B.J. Farmer created an electrifying story full of suspense and action. I really liked it! It was my first time reading one of his books and I must say that I am truly amazed with The Long Dark: Descent. Farmer’s writing is lyrical and complex and will leave you astonished with the darkness of some moments. You will also see that the human being won’t take chances when it comes to survival.
Just imagine that you are stranded on a man-made island without power and communication devices, what would you do? I am claustrophobic so these first moments were truly terrifying for me, to imagine to be ‘in a group of people’ left without anything that could be helpful in the middle of nowhere.
The group is able to leave and go back to the town (Barrow), but this couldn’t be worse. There is a strange disease that is turning people’s skin into grey and killing them. In my head they ( the grays) are basically zombies, because they also behave like crazy and just want to kill. William is without a doubt my favourite character and I think that you can clearly see his progression, his development during the book.
Farmer takes the reader into a 100% suspense mood and you never know what is going to happen in the next page. Don’t expect this novel to be a simple scary action book, because you will find so many different topics: and love, family, death. You can expect a roller coaster of emotions. It is well paced and masterly written. Believe me when I tell you that it is addictive, I couldn’t stop reading it. I recommend it for this Halloween.
Just imagine that you are stranded on a man-made island without power and communication devices, what would you do? I am claustrophobic so these first moments were truly terrifying for me, to imagine to be ‘in a group of people’ left without anything that could be helpful in the middle of nowhere.
The group is able to leave and go back to the town (Barrow), but this couldn’t be worse. There is a strange disease that is turning people’s skin into grey and killing them. In my head they ( the grays) are basically zombies, because they also behave like crazy and just want to kill. William is without a doubt my favourite character and I think that you can clearly see his progression, his development during the book.
Farmer takes the reader into a 100% suspense mood and you never know what is going to happen in the next page. Don’t expect this novel to be a simple scary action book, because you will find so many different topics: and love, family, death. You can expect a roller coaster of emotions. It is well paced and masterly written. Believe me when I tell you that it is addictive, I couldn’t stop reading it. I recommend it for this Halloween.
September 22, 2020
I liked this book a lot. There were some grammatical errors and a minor issue or two that will hopefully be rectified in later editions, but they are mostly superficial in nature. I would much prefer a few mistakes here in there than I would simple cookie-cutter characters which is not the case in this book. And given how many books in this genre are full of them (simple characters driven by simple motivations), well, The Long Dark was refreshing take on the apocalypse.
And as far as the main character being not likeable... as was noted in one of the reviews, that is probably on purpose. The main character, William, doesn't like himself... but he does love his friends. He is an imperfect character trying to do the right thing. I am part way through the second book, and I am seeing more and more a character who is motivated to do right, but who struggles internally due to his past... by mental issues. I don't know. I just really liked the book. It was refreshing. Read it and see for yourself.
And as far as the main character being not likeable... as was noted in one of the reviews, that is probably on purpose. The main character, William, doesn't like himself... but he does love his friends. He is an imperfect character trying to do the right thing. I am part way through the second book, and I am seeing more and more a character who is motivated to do right, but who struggles internally due to his past... by mental issues. I don't know. I just really liked the book. It was refreshing. Read it and see for yourself.
July 20, 2022
Not terrible for a first book; this author has real potential. He can certainly use the language; but character development is lacking. Writing from different first-person perspectives (William, then Jack): I felt that the same man was expressing the same kinds of thoughts. Also, could oil workers in such a tough environment, be SO incredibly wimpy? That is a harsh environment, where workers go out armed against carnivorous polar bears. The author needed to have spent a year out there himself, before mischaracterizing them so one-dimensionally.
But my main complaint is with the "action" sequences. The story actually SLOWED DOWN during fight & action scenes, as the author wandered around in his characters' heads (or his own): thinking this, wondering that, remembering WHATEVER — it was INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING... and it was the reason I stopped reading this ebook at about 65% in.
Author Farmer, TAKE NOTE: The writing in an action sequence should SPEED UP, become more compact and economical, to carry the reader through as on a roller-coaster which the author controls — not slow down to examine anyone's ruminations. If zombies (Sniffers) are attacking, NO ONE CARES ABOUT JACK'S MENTAL MEANDERINGS.
I hope the author will consider changing this flawed writing habit, which made the action sequences, specifically, tedious and grindingly slow (instead of suspenseful) to wade through.
Maybe use that page-space to give the reader a LITTLE more info about what the hell is happening? Sniffers? Foreign agents in control of them? I realize the workers are isolated; but I felt blindfolded, being dragged (slowly, tediously) through a blizzard. I gave up.
But my main complaint is with the "action" sequences. The story actually SLOWED DOWN during fight & action scenes, as the author wandered around in his characters' heads (or his own): thinking this, wondering that, remembering WHATEVER — it was INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING... and it was the reason I stopped reading this ebook at about 65% in.
Author Farmer, TAKE NOTE: The writing in an action sequence should SPEED UP, become more compact and economical, to carry the reader through as on a roller-coaster which the author controls — not slow down to examine anyone's ruminations. If zombies (Sniffers) are attacking, NO ONE CARES ABOUT JACK'S MENTAL MEANDERINGS.
I hope the author will consider changing this flawed writing habit, which made the action sequences, specifically, tedious and grindingly slow (instead of suspenseful) to wade through.
Maybe use that page-space to give the reader a LITTLE more info about what the hell is happening? Sniffers? Foreign agents in control of them? I realize the workers are isolated; but I felt blindfolded, being dragged (slowly, tediously) through a blizzard. I gave up.
November 5, 2021
Excellent first book
I really liked this book. At first I was going to stop reading it only because it's not your typical beginning of the apocalypse story. I know that isn't fair to the author but that's what I like. However, William was intriguing and the book was well written. Really well written. I don't recall a single editing error! Which is a rarity and one of the main reasons I kept reading. Plus I liked William. His story was well thought out and kept me interested until the end. He was kind but tough, loyal, and smart and I felt like he was the kind of person I would like to have on my side. I hope book 2 lives up to its standard and has the same quality as the first. Good job!
I really liked this book. At first I was going to stop reading it only because it's not your typical beginning of the apocalypse story. I know that isn't fair to the author but that's what I like. However, William was intriguing and the book was well written. Really well written. I don't recall a single editing error! Which is a rarity and one of the main reasons I kept reading. Plus I liked William. His story was well thought out and kept me interested until the end. He was kind but tough, loyal, and smart and I felt like he was the kind of person I would like to have on my side. I hope book 2 lives up to its standard and has the same quality as the first. Good job!
January 14, 2021
"The Long Dark Descent "is generally not my genre of book. But this story took me down a long journey to a snowy place where men live and work on a five acre island in darkness everyday.
The bleak snowy atmosphere of Alaska lends to the ongoing mystery as to what happens after the lights go out.
The men working together in the Barrow all have different personalities, and each one brings out something almost dark in the other. Put this together and you have a ton of suspense.
If you enjoyed reading John Carpenter's "The Thing" you will enjoy this book. I would gladly read it again.
The bleak snowy atmosphere of Alaska lends to the ongoing mystery as to what happens after the lights go out.
The men working together in the Barrow all have different personalities, and each one brings out something almost dark in the other. Put this together and you have a ton of suspense.
If you enjoyed reading John Carpenter's "The Thing" you will enjoy this book. I would gladly read it again.
June 30, 2021
Very poor character development that finally caused me to close this book forever. The author tries to make two of them talk differently and it gets purely annoying quickly. Mr. Farmer also seems to have no knowledge of oil patch workers, as trying to portray them as wimps who know nothing about guns and are forced to work under a wholly incompetent fool who knows absolutely zip about leading hard men just obliterates any sense of reality. I was completely lost with who and what the "gray" people were, and I just have to say, this book is a total waste of time.
December 16, 2021
Great, scary read...can't wait for more!
I enjoyed this book immensely. I love a good horror story-- I just didn't want it to end! The author did a good job in capturing the isolated, frozen, dark setting, and fleshed out his characters well. The fact that the author gave his characters flaws made them even more human and 'real'...you really grew to care about them...and what waited in the dark for them made me jump at every noise I heard while reading their story! Can't wait to continue the story in the next book.
I enjoyed this book immensely. I love a good horror story-- I just didn't want it to end! The author did a good job in capturing the isolated, frozen, dark setting, and fleshed out his characters well. The fact that the author gave his characters flaws made them even more human and 'real'...you really grew to care about them...and what waited in the dark for them made me jump at every noise I heard while reading their story! Can't wait to continue the story in the next book.
December 1, 2021
Not bad for a first book
This storyline was good. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and how they related to each other. Trying to figure out what happened that led to the power outage and subsequent events was nearly impossible. My only issue with the book is there were several grammatical errors that are blatantly obvious. If you can get passed that, you'll enjoy this book. Looking forward to the continuation in the next book.
This storyline was good. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and how they related to each other. Trying to figure out what happened that led to the power outage and subsequent events was nearly impossible. My only issue with the book is there were several grammatical errors that are blatantly obvious. If you can get passed that, you'll enjoy this book. Looking forward to the continuation in the next book.
April 27, 2021
The Long Dark took me on a eerie but fun emotional rollercoaster. The author uses the right amount of horror, humor, and plot twist. For a ride I didn't want to end. I look forward to reading the sequels to this book.
May 14, 2021
Cold, dark and scary
If someone had simply handed me this book without any information or author’s name I would have guessed it was by Stephen King. I truly enjoyed learning more about the characters and can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!
If someone had simply handed me this book without any information or author’s name I would have guessed it was by Stephen King. I truly enjoyed learning more about the characters and can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!
August 15, 2021
Interesting characters, but not especially sympathetic. I have little faith that they are going to save the world. Puzzling scenario (Although the author gives you a hint in his note at the end). I’m always disappointed when the apocalypse breeds zombies.
May 13, 2022
It took awhile to get going in this first of the series. I found myself skipping a lot of the backstory for the characters as it was mostly irrelevant. Near the end things started to pick up and get more intriguing with he introduction of the covert group and the foreign power info.
February 14, 2023
Terrible story and hard to follow
This is just a walking dead episode in the Antarctic. Author is very hard to follow and many paragraphs seem to be missing words or concepts of the story.
This is just a walking dead episode in the Antarctic. Author is very hard to follow and many paragraphs seem to be missing words or concepts of the story.
January 25, 2021
Good book
I liked it you can really get a feel for the characters, I will definitely be waiting to see where Avery Sam and William ends up.
I liked it you can really get a feel for the characters, I will definitely be waiting to see where Avery Sam and William ends up.
May 24, 2022
has potenial
good base for a story but some more detailing wouldnt go a miss , looking forward to the next one
good base for a story but some more detailing wouldnt go a miss , looking forward to the next one
November 30, 2022
good
William and his friend Avery work on reclaimed land in the far north. All electrics cease to work. William and Avery must now investigate to see what has happened
William and his friend Avery work on reclaimed land in the far north. All electrics cease to work. William and Avery must now investigate to see what has happened
February 17, 2024
good action
Started this book thinking it was just a zombie book, now I am invested and looking forward to the rest. Good cliffhanger at the end.
Started this book thinking it was just a zombie book, now I am invested and looking forward to the rest. Good cliffhanger at the end.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews